Practice News

Justice Rita B. Garman of the Supreme Court of Illinois has begun an application process for an At-Large Circuit Court vacancy in the Fifth Judicial Circuit.

The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Judge Claudia Anderson on November 30, 2016. Judge Anderson has been a Circuit Judge since 1998.

The Honorable Lloyd A. Karmeier was installed Monday as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court in a ceremony at the Supreme Court Building in Springfield.

Justice Rita B. Garman administered the oath of office. Speakers included Supreme Court Justices Anne M. Burke, Robert R. Thomas and retired Justice Philip J. Rarick.

Chief Justice Karmeier's brother, Del Karmeier, gave the invocation and the Karmeier grandchildren led the pledge of allegiance.

Chief Justice Karmeier, of Nashville, Illinois, is this State’s 120th Chief Justice and the second person from Washington County to hold that office. Justice Byron O. House, for whom Chief Justice Karmeier served as a law clerk, was the first.

Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Marion attorney John W. Sanders as the Resident Circuit Judge of Williamson County in the First Judicial Circuit.

Mr. Sanders was appointed Thursday to fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of resident Circuit Judge Carolyn Smoot, effective November 30, 2016.

The appointment of Mr. Sanders takes effect on December 1, 2016, and will conclude on December 3, 2018, when the vacancy will be filled by the winner of the November 2018 general election.

"I'm honored that Chief Justice Karmeier and the Supreme Court have the confidence in me to serve as a Circuit Judge," Sanders said. "I've had the pleasure to represent clients throughout Southern Illinois for the past 28 years. I now look forward to working with the other judges to serve the people of Williamson County and the First Judicial Circuit."

Asked and Answered

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Q. I am a partner in a twelve attorney general practice firm in Upstate New York. There are eight partners and four associates in the firm. Our firm was formed five years ago when we broke off from another firm in the area. That firm was led and managed by a dictatorial founder and other attorneys in the firm including partners had no say in management matters whatsoever. When we formed this firm we decided that all attorneys including associates would be included in the decision-making process. All management decisions must be passed by all attorneys in the firm. When we were smaller this worked okay but now that we are larger we are having problems. I would appreciate your thoughts on the matter.